Friday, 29 January 2016

Trade journal Publishers Weeklyreported on Tuesday that retail chain Walmart is considering a dedicated graphic novel section in its stores, and is currently "in talks" with distributor Diamond Book Distributors about the deal.
The potential deal comes after manga publisher Viz Media closed a deal with Walmart earlier this month to expand the number of titles it will sell through the retail chain. Walmart now sells Viz titles Tokyo Ghoul, Pokémon, One-Punch Man, and the Naruto spinoff novels.
Diamond Comic Distributors, the parent company of Diamond Book Distributors, handles titles from Marvel Comics, DC Comics, Dark Horse Comics, Image Comics, Valiant Entertainment, IDW Publishing, and Dynamite. Diamond Book Distributors doesn't handle Marvel Comics or DC Comics for book trade retailers

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Thursday, 28 January 2016

Toei announced on Thursday that Hiroshi Fujioka, who played the original Kamen Rider/Takeshi Hongō character in the 1971 Kamen Rider TV series, will return to star in the new Kamen Rider 1-Gō (Kamen Rider 1) film. The film is due out in Japan on March 26.
The film's website began streaming a teaser on Monday showing Fujioka playing the character.

Toei unveiled visuals for the film showing Fujioka in civilian clothes and in Kamen Rider form, as well as his Neo Cyclone motorcycle.

The film is the first project in Toei's "Superhero Year," which celebrates the 45th anniversary of the Kamen Riderfranchise and 40th anniversary of the Super Sentaifranchise. Kamen Rider 1-Gō will feature both the original Kamen Rider character, and Kamen Rider Ghost from the currently-airing Kamen Rider Ghost TV series. In the film, a powered-up Kamen Rider protects Mayu, the daughter of his mentor Tachibana Tobei, and fights the Shocker and Nova Shocker organizations.
The Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider: Ghost & Drive Chō Movie Taisenfilm opened last December. Kamen Rider Ghost, the latest installment in the long-running Kamen Rider special effects series, premiered on TV Asahi last October. Fujioka already reprised his Kamen Rider 1 role in the Heisei Rider vs. Showa Rider: Kamen Rider War feat. Super Sentai film in March 2014.

Blacksmiths Matt and Kerry Stagmer, Ilya Alekseyev, and the Man At Arms: Reforged team recreated Erza Scarlet's sword and armor from the Fairy Tail anime series. The crew starts with 1075, 1095, and W2 steel for Erza's sword. They had to reinterpret some of the technical details of the weapon based on the the anime's design while also making practical improvements.

The group simultaneously makes Erza's armor as well before taking both outside to test out chop, hack, and slice everything in sight.

The story is set on Endra, an unknown world beneath the surface of Earth itself. It is another world, where the giant Adamas shines above and seven-colored bands drift across the skies.

One day, Shun Asanaga — an ordinary yet positive and bright 15-year-old middle school boy who lived in the "Land Above" — lands in this place. He had discovered a mysterious crystal at his scientific businessman father's company, and the moment he touched the crystal, he was transported to Endra.

He meets Prince Emirio, who strongly despises the current King Deruzain and had just turned 16 at Endra's castle. He became of age to ascend to the throne, and he wields a weapon to seek his vengeance at last, but the difference in strength proves to be insurmountable. Captured and imprisoned by Deruzain, Emirio is heartbroken. But then, the walls of the prison suddenly become distorted, and Shun appears within them.

The accompanying Endride ~X fragments~ smartphone game features Hagiwara and Watsuki on original character designs, the illustrator Hidari (Atelier Ayesha: The Alchemist of Dusk), and scenario writer Takumi Miyajima (Tales of the Abyss). The game will begin accepting pre-registration of users in April, and will formally launch this year.
Ono, Miyama, Ohashi, Takahashi, and Toriumi will appear at an "NTV April Season Anime Endride Pre-Broadcast! Special Stage event at the Anime Japan 2016 convention on March 26 at 12:20 p.m. The event will introduce the project, host a talk between the cast, run a promotional video, hold a segment on the game, and other elements

Peter Capaldi has made his first journey with the UN Refugee Agency, to witness some of the front-line work the charity is doing in the middle east.

The UNHCR, a United Nations agency mandated to protect and support refugees, is currently helping some of the 630,000 Syrian refugees living in Jordan. The charity took the actor to meet some of the people displaced by the conflict in Syria and to see some of the work being done to support them.

A short film of the actor's experience in the region has been released, along with pictures from the visit. More content from the trip will be released over the next few weeks, including a virtual reality experience.

The UNHCR told Doctor Who News how delighted they were to have the support of the Twelfth Doctor.

We’re thrilled to have Peter support our work and to have his interest in learning more about the situation facing families across the word who have been forced to flee their homes because of war and conflict. We’d love you to take this journey with Peter and with us over the coming weeks, and beyond.

Wednesday, 27 January 2016

The New York International Children's Film Festival (NYICFF) will screenMamoru Hosoda's The Boy and The Beast and Shunji Iwai's The Case of Hana & Alice films in February and March. The festival will screen The Boy and The Beast ahead of its formal March 4 theatrical opening in the United States. FunimationlicensedThe Boy and The Beast (Bakemono no Ko) for the United States, and it describes the film:

When Kyuta, a young orphan living on the streets of Shibuya, stumbles into a fantastic world of beasts, he's taken in by Kumatetsu, a gruff, rough-around-the-edges warrior beast who's been searching for the perfect apprentice. Despite their constant bickering, Kyuta and Kumatetsu begin training together and slowly form a bond as surrogate father and son. But when a deep darkness threatens to throw the human and beast worlds into chaos, the strong bond between this unlikely pair will be put to the ultimate test—a final showdown that will only be won if the two can finally work together using all of their combined strength and courage.

The Fantasic Film Festival in Austin hosted the U.S. premiere of the film with English subtitles last September. Laemmle's Music Hall theater in Beverly Hills, California also screened the film for a week last month.
The film debuted at #1 in the Japanese box-office on July 11 and earned 667,035,100 yen (about US$5.4 million) in its first two days. It eventually surpassed the total box office earnings of Hosoda's previous film, Wolf Children. The film was the second-highest grossing domestic film in Japan in 2015.
The festival will screen the film with Japanese audio and English subtitles at the DGA Theatre on February 26 at 6:30 p.m.
The NYICFF has hostedpremieres of Hosoda's The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Summer Wars, and Wolf Children anime films.

The Case of Hana & Alice (Hana to Alice Satsujin Jiken) is Shunji Iwai's animated prequel to his 2004 live-action coming-of-age film Hana & Alice. The film, Iwai's first feature-length animation, tells the story of how the two female high school leads in the Hana & Alice film met. Iwai conceived, wrote, and directed the original 2004 live-action Hana & Alice.

Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal screened the film's North American premiere last year. The LA EigaFest also screened the film last September.
NYICFF will screen the film at the Bow Tie Chelsea Cinemas on February 28 at 1:30 p.m., and on March 13 at 4:15 p.m. It will also screen the film at the IFC Center on March 20 at 12:30 p.m.
The film festival will take place from February 20 to March 20

Capsule vending machines will be stocked One Piece cup companions who desperately want to stay afloat. The line-up of five characters all have Devil Fruit powers, an attribute that greatly weakens them if they become submerged in water. The line-up includes Tony Tony Chopper, Ace, Luffy, Doflamingo, and Law all balancing precariously.

The toys will debut at the end of the month for 300 yen (US$2.50) each.
Kitan Club's Cup no Fuchico is the most famous cup companion toy. SMAP idol Tsuyoshi Kusanagidressed as the office lady and attempted to recreate her poses atop a giant coffee cup.

The Pokémon Company announced on Wednesday that it will release the Meitantei Pikachu ~Shin Combi Tanjō~ (Famous Detective Pikachu: The Debut of a New Duo) game as a digital download for the Nintendo 3DS in Japan on February 3. The game features a "Pikachu you've never seen before" with a voice similar to Toru Ohkawa.

Text: A city where mysteries lie in hiding Text: A stange encounter Text: A new story Pikachu & Text: It's the scent of a case Pikachu & Text: Where's he going to? Pikachu & Text: Let's investigate! Pikachu & Text: Are you ok!? Pikachu & Text: Let's go, partner! Text: The duo's adventure begins Text: The hero this time is … Pikachu: I'm not a detective — I'm the famous detective! Text: Famous Detective Pikachu: The Debut of a New Duo Text: He talks big Text: But you can't help but love him Text: Famous Detective Pikachu. Pikachu & Text: Pika-flash! Pikachu & Text: Focus Pikachu & Text: This is getting interesting Pikachu & Text: I'm going on a journey, with this partner. Pikachu & Text: My dream will someday come true Pikachu: Pikachu! Text: Here is a Pikachu you've never seen before. Pikachu & Text: Famous Detective Pikachu: The Debut of a New Duo

The story is set in Lime City, a city where people and Pokémon coexist. A boy named Tim Goodman arrived in this town with a certain goal. Tim and Pikachu meet by chance at the city, and a new adventure begins here.

People who order the download between January 27 and February 29 will receive the game for 1,200 yen (about US$10). Thereafter, it will cost 1,500 yen (US$12). Nintendofiled a trademark for "Meitantei Pikachu" (Famous Detective Pikachu) for a variety of services including video games in October 2013. NHK's Professional Shigoto no Ryūgi (Professional Work Style) program revealed later that month that a "top secret" Pikachu game would star the mascot as a detective. The game would feature Pikachu talking for the first time in the game franchise and was expected to be completed in two years

The latest podcast from Anime Limited includes the following information:
- 'Andrew Partridge: 'We are delaying [Turn A Gundam] quite significantly because we are arguing the point that Blu-ray would be really great for it; but that hinges on a few things, because Sunrise is looking at things in a more global strategy for English-speaking [territories]... It would have to be done in conjunction with other territories as well.'

Tuesday, 26 January 2016

FUNimation Entertainmentconfirmed in a forum post on Monday that its home video and streaming rights for the Baccano! anime are expiring. The series will be removed from Funimation's streaming service and the show's website will close on February 8. Funimationreleased the series on four DVD singles in the first half of 2009, and released the complete series box set in December of that year, and again in 2010 as part of its Viridian Collection line. Aniplex of Americareleased the series on a limited edition Blu-ray box set in 2011, and re-released it in a standard edition Blu-ray set in 2012. Baccano! is based on a light novel series of the same name by Ryohgo Narita (Durarara!!), and is set in 1930s New York, where a group of colorful individuals interact with alchemists and their elixir of immortality. Several seemingly unrelated plots begin to intertwine as the series continues.

The cherry blossoms are blooming, the sun is shining, and it's the perfect time to hit the pool! Haruka, Makoto, Nagisa, and Rei are anxious to get into the water and warm up their winter muscles ASAP, but things aren't all flip-turns and finish lines. Haru's passion for swimming is drying up, which dashes Rin's hope for a true rivalry. With their futures after high school looming over them, Makoto and Haru are having a hard time focusing. And a gruff new Samezuka student, Sosuke, appears just in time to jeopardize Iwatobi's chance at nationals.

The official website for the Pokémonfranchiseposted the full 70-second version of the live-action commercial that will air during the Super Bowl football game on February 7. The commercial celebrates the 20th anniversary of the first games.

Upcoming products include Nendoroids of the game's classic starters' evolutions and protagonist, clothing, new trading cards, mythical Pokémon distribution, special Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue 3DS bundles, and the release of Pokémon Go and Pokken Tournament. Nintendo is also planning to re-release its Pokémon amiibo, like Jigglypuff and Charizard, to select retailers on February 27.

Fans of the original Pokémon films also have something to look forward to. Pokémon: The First Movie, Pokémon the Movie 2000 and Pokémon 3: The Movie are getting digital remaster releases on DVD and Blu-ray from Viz Media. A total of 12 full-length Pokémon films will also be available on digital platforms. Update: The Pokémon Company notes that it shot the commercial in Rio de Janiero, which happens to be the home of this year's Olympics. The 30-second version of the ad will air at the beginning of the third quarter of Super Bowl 50. It will also air during the Super Bowl's Greatest Commercials special on the American television network CBS on February 2 at 8:00 p.m.

The Glasgow Youth Festival will screen Studio Ghibli's When Marnie Was There, directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi (Arrietty) on Sunday February 1410 at 3.25 p.m., at the Glasgow Film Theatre (directions). Tickets can be bought here.

Mamoru Hosoda's film The Boy and The Beast will be screened at 3.15 p.m. at the CCA Theatre (directions), on Sunday February 21. There will be a second screening the following day: 3.45 p.m. on Monday February 22, also at the CCA Theatre. Tickets are available here.

Kodansha released the manga's 52nd compiled book volume in Japan on November 17. Del Reypublished the first 12 volumes of the original manga in North America, and Kodansha Comicsresumed publishing the manga in English with the 13th volume in 2011. Kodansha Comics published the manga's 51st volume on November 24. Crunchyrollstreamed the first anime series and is streaming the ongoing second television anime into several countries as it airs in Japan, and it is also releasing new chapters online as they are published in Japan. Funimation is releasing both anime series in DVD/Blu-ray Disc sets.

Monday, 25 January 2016

UNIQLO, a Japanese clothing store with an international presence, has always played a role in spreading Japanese pop culture to a global audience with its unique T-shirts and other clothes. Now it's Ultimate Muscle's turn to be added to its T-shirt stock. UNIQLO will roll out a line of T-shirts called UT ("the new Model T") in the spring and summer featuring familiar brands and characters like Star Wars, Spongebob Squarepants and Disney. Ultimate Muscle was chosen to represent Japanese culture along with calligraphy and Shōchiku kabuki. According to NIGO, UT's creative director, he chose Ultimate Muscle because the manga has been loved for a long time and because it's a personal favorite.
The T-shirts feature a variety of Ultimate Muscle characters, including Robin Mask, Warsman and Akuma Shōgun, and the iconic move Muscle Docking. They will be available in Japan on January 25 but will eventually spread to the United States, Australia, the People's Republic of China, the Republic of China, South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines. They will cost 1,620 yen ($13.70) each.

The Nicktoons channel is airing a teaser promo for the United States airing of the Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V television anime series. The teaser previews the show's English dub, and reveals that the anime will begin airing on the channel in February.

The official Yu-Gi-Oh!YouTube channel previously streamed the show's English opening with the song "Can You Feel the Power."

The Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V anime, the newest Yu-Gi-Oh! anime series inspired by Kazuki Takahashi's original manga, premiered in Japan in April 2014. The series premiered in Canada last August and is slated to debut in Australia at a later date. Viz Media began publishingNaohito Miyoshi's Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V manga series last August in its digital English edition of Shonen Jump. The manga debuted in Japan last August in Shueisha's V Jump magazine.
The story is set in Maiami City on the coast of Japan. Yūya is a second-year middle school student who loves to entertain people. Although he is small, he has been training his tough body and Action Duelist arms with weapons. His dream is to become an "Entertainment Duelist" who makes people smile. One day, Yūya ends up fighting an exhibition match with the current champion of Pro Duel world…

MVM's second release this week is a standard DVD edition of The Eccentric Family. (The Blu-ray Collector's Edition is already available.) The comedy drama is set in Kyoto, where humans, tanuki (shape-shifting raccoon-dogs), and tengu (long-nosed goblins of Japanese folklore) intermingle. In the Shimogamo family of tanuki, Yasaburō lives for whatever strikes his fancy at the moment.

MVM's third release is Maid Sama! Part 2. The romantic comedy centers on the student council head named Misaki Ayuzawa who despises the mostly male, slovenly population at her school, which was once an all-boys school. However, Misaki's most handsome schoolmate just discovered her secret — that she works afterschool at a maid café.

MVM fourth release this week is Hidamari Sketch, on both Blu-ray and DVD. The series is based on Ume Aoki's manga about a high school for the arts and the everyday life of four of its students.

Anime Limited has announced that it will release Rage of Bahamut Genesis on Blu-ray and DVD in late spring/early summer. From the announcement: 'While we're in the early phase of planning we can confirm there will be a collector's edition style release.'
The Rage of Bahamut Genesis television anime is inspired by Cygames' Rage of Bahamut mobile game. The story takes place in Mistarcia, a magical world where humans, gods, and demons mingle together. In the past, the black-and-silver winged Bahamut threatened to destroy the land, but humans, gods, and demons overcame their differences to fight together and seal its power. The key to that seal was split in two, one half given to the gods and the other to demons, so that they would never be united and Bahamut never released. Now, two thousand years later, the world is in an era of peace - until the day a woman steals the gods' half of the key.

On January 21, the editors of the magazine V Jump published Dragon Ball 30th Anniversary Super History Book, a look back at 30 years of one of Japan's most famous comics. The book contains a commemorative manga, sketches, a long interview with Akira Toriyama (Dragon Ball's creator), Weekly Shonen Jump magazine covers, comments from other people related to Dragon Ball such as Masako Nozawa (Goku's voice actress) and the producer of Dragon Ball Z, the rough draft of the manga's final chapter, and content relating to Dragon Ball Carddass trading cards and video games.

Notice was also taken of these remarks by Toriyama included in the book:

Inside me, Dragon Ball became a thing of the past, but later I got upset at the live-action film, revised the script for the anime film, and complained about the quality of the TV anime. I guess at some point it became a work that I like so much that I can't leave it alone.

Anime Limited has announced that it will release Psycho-Pass 2, the sequel series to the SF-horror Psycho-Pass, on Blu-ray and DVD in early summer 2016. Collector's Edition releases are planned in both formats.
The synopsis for the series is as follows:

It's been a little over a year since Inspector Akane Tsunemori chose to put her faith in the Sibyl System and keep its true nature a secret. Assigned to a new division with a few familiar faces, Akane and her team of Inspectors and Enforcers are charged with upholding the law in a society where just thinking about a crime is enough to get you locked away forever—or executed on the spot. Just as Akane settles into her new routine, a terrorist bombing in the center of the city shakes the System to its core and launches an investigation that uncovers a network of latent criminals who claim their leader has the power to lower their crime coefficients. After Enforcers begin turning up dead with cryptic messages scrawled near their bodies, Akane starts closing in on the answers she's looking for—completely unaware that an even deadlier threat is lurking closer than she could ever imagine.

Anime Limited has announced that it will distribute the Blu-ray Collector's Edition of "Dawn of Rebellion," the third volume of Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin. (Anime Limited also distributed the first two volumes of this OAV series; at present, copies of these earlier episodes are available at the link below.) According to the announcement, "We (Anime Limited) are now taking pre-orders for for the UK and European customers through our AllTheAnime.com web shop. (link.) The deadline to pre-order this by is 12 p.m. on Monday 4th April 2016."
This edition is described as "a Japanese product. The main feature itself will include the English language dub and English subtitles to accompany the original Japanese audio but any additional features on the disc itself and/or the physical items included in the package itself will be in Japanese only. "
Regarding the release date, Anime Limited says, 'The product itself isn't released in Japan until late May 2016, so we anticipate our stock to arrive following the Japanese release date in June 2016. Obviously if our allocation arrives earlier than that we will work to fulfil pre-orders sooner.'
The price is £74.99, "inclusive of delivery via the UPS courier service and UK Customs Clearance." The company also notes that "All UK pre-orders for this will be only fulfilled via the courier service UPS and a signature will be required on delivery. We can only fulfil orders of this product to UK, Ireland and Scandinavian countries. Any orders for outside of the UK for this product placed at our web shop will be only fulfilled by the UPS courier service. Please note there will be an additional international shipping surcharge. The cost of this will be added during the checkout process."

The edition features:

Storage box illustrated by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko (32.8cm x 32.8cm)
Storyboards & setting art book (260 pages planned)*
Illustration sheet of the storage box illustration by Yasuhiko (planned to be box-sized)*
Cell & Line art illustrations book (10 pages planned)*
Sleeve (O-card) illustrated by Yasuhiko
Booklet featuring comic text by Yasuhiko (32 pages planned)*
Special booklet (12 pages planned)*
Staff & cast audio commentary*
- All asterixed items are in Japanese only. The film has English and Japanese subtitles. The disc also includes Japanese-only special features: Audio Commentary, Trailers, PV, TV-Commercial, Video of the salutations on stage at the screening of Episode 2. The film is 60 minutes; the special features are 15 minutes long.
The synopsis is as follows:

Universal Century 0074. Since leaving Texas Colony, Édouard Mass has camouflaged his identity and enrolled in the Autonomous Republic of Zeon Space Defense Military Academy under the name of Char Aznable. He has built friendship with his classmate Garma, the scion of the Zabi family. Gradually the two have become acknowledged by other students. And the year is Universal Century 0077. The young at last rise up in arms and begin the fight for independence against the Earth Federation Forces Security Force. The rebellion, however, also marks the beginning of Char's spectacular scenario for the revenge…

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin adapts Yoshikazu Yasuhiko's manga of the same name, which in turn is inspired by the first Mobile Suit Gundam anime's story. The OVA's first episode, titled "Blue-Eyed Casval," premiered in a limited engagement in Japanese theaters on February 28. The story will be told in four parts.

UK Anime Networkreports that Animatsu's Blu-ray and DVD release of Humanity Has Declined (Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita) on Blu-ray and DVD has been delayed to April 4. The series is listed as such on Amazon UK and Anime-on-line. Romeo Tanaka's Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita light novel series is set several centuries into the slow decline of mankind. Earth has now become the realm of "fairies" — 10-centimeter-tall (about 4-inch-tall) creatures with remarkable intelligence. The human protagonist of the story serves an important duty as the international arbitrator between the fairies and humans, and she returns to her former hometown of Kusunoki. She chose this job because she thought it was an easy job she can do, even when she is as old as her grandfather. However, she learns that her job is anything but simple when she meets the fairies.

The Doctor and Gabby are still caught between two factions as modern humanity is born. Neanderthals and Cro Magnons clash, and their actions will shape the direction taken by humankind in the millennia to come! Plus: Cindy discovers an alarming secret back in NYC... and in deep space, Anubis grows impatient!

Time to take the fight back to those who have accused the Doctor of horrible war crimes! The TARDIS team needs to break into a remote prison to get the tech that will allow them to pull off an incredible heist... Sounds like they'll need some expert help!